I don't know why, but it really bothers me that some people spell Vince Guaraldi's classic "Christmas Time Is Here" and others spell it "Christmastime Is Here". Can't we settle on one or the other? I suppose its no more or less maddening than the difference between "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" and "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear". But at least that's an ancient carol. The Charlie Brown tune is barely 50 years old. Just felt compelled to mention it.

​1. Christmastime Is Here2. O Come All Ye Faithful (feat. Jason Gray)3. Little Town Of Bethlehem4. All I Want For Christmas Is You5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas6. Little Drummer Boy

For the third year in a row, Contemporary Christian artist and the former lead singer for Downhere, Marc Martel has released a Christmas EP (following "The Silent Night" and "The First Noel"). As you can tell without anyone telling you, Marc's voice bears an uncanny resemblance to the voice of the late Freddie Mercury. The voice is such a match, in fact, it's hard to block the thought from your mind and just focus on what Marc's doing. Take that cover of "All I Want For Christmas Is You". Is it just me or does the arrangement lean towards "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"? Not that it isn't endlessly entertaining to close your eyes and imagine Freddie Mercury singing Mariah Carey. And Marc has to know that people like me are doing that. That voice? As Detective Monk would say, "It's a blessing...and a curse." Mostly, I'd guess, it's a blessing.

6 songs on "Christmastime Is Here". Pretty much the standard Martel mix of carols and contemporary songs, soft reverent ballads with a couple of rockers. Of the latter, "O Come All Ye Faithful" featuring Jason Gray is plenty impressive and enjoyable. For those who don't automatically hate it, "Little Drummer Boy" is also very nicely done (although I can't help but feel he missed a golden opportunity by not doing the "Peace on Earth" mash-up with himself taking the Bowie part). And I have to say this. If you want to hear Marc Martel do a Christmas song so magnificently that you don't even think of Freddie Mercury, I'd recommend "O Holy Night" from Marc's first holiday EP, "The Silent Night".

The nicest thing, to me, about Marc Martel's Christmas EPs is that he always makes hard copy CDs available through his web site. Not a lot of artists would bother with hard copy for an EP, let alone 3 of them. Marc Martel is an exceedingly gifted singer, songwriter, musician and producer and he puts a lot into his Christmas recordings, and it shows. They deserve a place in your collection. Even if I can't stop thinking about Freddie Mercury when I listen.

I can imagine the pitch meeting for this one... Glee meets The Walking Dead...at Christmas! Ooops, got it wrong, apparently. The trades dubbed it "Shaun of the Dead" meets "La La Land". That makes sense; you're pitching a movie, you use movies in the pitch. So, anyway, they went and made a Zombie Christmas musical which was released last year. The soundtrack album is just coming out now. I haven't listened to the whole thing (nor seen the movie), so I can't say that everything is holiday oriented (in fact, I can say it's not). But there are some clearly holiday themed selections. "Christmas Means Nothing Without You" is Spector-esque. "It's That Time of Year" is sort of Santa Baby-ish. My favorite, so far, though is "What A Time To Be Alive", a sort of Rat Packy parody tune, which no doubt is even more ironic at the end of a Zombie Christmas musical than just hearing it in isolation (even so...dry humor at its driest..."It won't stop snowing, Ah, Jesus Christ, it's such a de-light"). Digital available now. CD and vinyl coming in a week. It's bound to be an annual favorite (And you thought a generation whose Christmas movie is "Die Hard" was as deviant as it could get.)

1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen2. O Come O Come Emmanuel3. Away in a Manger-Solo4. I Saw Three Ships5. Angels from the Realms of Glory6. In the Bleak Mid-Winter/In the Bulb There Is a Flower7. Sing We Now of Christmas/O Come All Ye Faithful8. Silent Night9. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear10. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming11. Away in a Manger12. The First Nowell13. O Little Town of Bethlehem14. Emmanuel, Emmanuel / Feliz Navidad

I love Jazz and "True Christmas" by Two Times True is just the sort of thing I love.

Two Times True are from St. Louis, Missouri, led by pianist Carolbeth True. True has played, and continues to play, the region in various configurations, but Two Times True is her current group of choice. One reason for that (and the source of the group's name) might be spending quality time with the drummer, who happens to be her son, Dave True. Glen Smith provides the bass and saxophonist Larry Johnson rounds out the quartet (though Johnson sits out most of "True Christmas").

In addition to being a popular performer and a teacher of both Classical and Jazz piano, Carolbeth has always been active in the community. Combining her love of music and community, you'll find her and Two Times True performing Jazz services at Christmas time. Virtually any musician will tell you that Christmas songs, and especially the old hymns, have some of the most beautiful melodies ever composed. Two Times True bring out the beauty of these melodies in contemporary Jazz arrangements which serve to somehow emphasize the deeper meaning of the original hymns. I think "In The Bleak Midwinter" demonstrates this as well as anything. The song has been presented so often as some downbeat (nearly depressing) Folk song that, when Two Times True do it, it's as beautiful as a flower slowly opening to welcome the morning sun.

For pure musicality, it's hard to beat "Sing We Now of Christmas/O Come All Ye Faithful", one of the few songs on "True Christmas" to showcase Larry Johnson's sax. Johnson is also heard on the album's closing track, "Emmanurl, Emmanuel/Feliz Navidad", while one of the two versions of "Away In A Manger" is performed by Carolbeth as a solo piano piece. The remainder of the album is Trio Jazz.

Other highlights from the set include "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Silent Night", "Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming" and "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear". I chose the later to lead off the piece because, while Carolbeth does seem to draw in equal measure from Jazz and Classical greats, I had the distinct impression, listening to "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear", that that was all her (plus there's the nice little solo from Dave).

If you're a Jazz fan, or just a fan of the traditional hymns of Christmas, "True Christmas" by Two Times True will be a welcome addition to your holiday soundtrack.

I'm arbitrarily assigning an 11/9 date to this since the first physical copies will be reaching actual listener hands on or about that date. As of this writing, there's still no listing for digital versions at Amazon or elsewhere.

The Hound + The Fox are a husband and wife Alt Folk duo from Oregon, Reilly and McKenzie Zamber. They've taken their own path in the music field. 100% independent, you don't see physical products at the usual outlets (you'll find them here, while available); they mostly drop videos and singles at random intervals like snowflakes scattering across the landscape. Did I mention videos? Yes, Both Reilly and McKenzie are independent film producers, and much of their popularity and following is built upon their videos. They are funded, to some degree, through Patreon. Unlike some of the other crowdfunding platforms, Patreon is a subscription service. I'm not exactly sure how it works and I'm afraid to find out, considering my current pile of unpaid medical bills. But you can subscribe for as little as a dollar a month (and there are free MP3s involved at some point but, again, I don't know how it works).

The Hound + The Fox have released a number of Christmas songs in the past. In 2014, they released a pair of covers, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"and "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (yes, it's still creepy, even when done by two people so clearly in love...please, all artists, STOP COVERING THIS SONG; it makes my skin crawl). Those were iTunes exclusives, so far as I can tell. They did "A Baby Just Like You" in 2016 (that one was only available to Patrons). And, in 2017, they released four Christmas singles, "Every Year", "Breath of Heaven","What Child Is This/Child of the Poor", and "Mary Did You Know?" It appears that all of those are on "Songs of Winter" (though it's possible one or two may be all new recordings of the tracks).

The Hound + The Fox recruited some special guests for "Songs of Winter" including Peter Hollens, Tim Foust, Haley Johnsen, and Jenika Marion. The album went up for pre-sale in mid-October and the first copies are expected to be mailed on November 5. If past is prologue, physical copies will only be available through Gumroad, though digital copies should eventually find their way to iTunes and Amazon, likely after a new video or two have been released.

I think a lot of us probably had that moment in high school or college where you're kicking back with a small group of friends and somebody says, "Hey, we should start a band". Then, the next day, you realize what a stupid idea it was...especially since none of you play an instrument. Best I can say is that I did do the lead vocals on an a capellaversion of "Sh-Boom" at our college Gong Show (and we were gonged in record time). Of course, the story goes a little differently when the friends in question are actually in the music industry.

So Jon Hornyak, sound engineer Matt Ross-Sprang, and Jason Freeman are kicking back at Sun Studios one day (yes, that Sun Studios) and Jason suggests they ought to put together a ukulele band. Except, being in the music business already, they didn't dismiss the idea the next day. Instead, they recruited singer-songwriter Mark Edward Stuart, Logan Hanna, and the young but extremely talented Kyndle McMahan. The group all had their regular things going on, but their little ukulele band was a nice escape, something fun to do on the side. They played some house concerts and coffee houses and, the next thing you know, they're opening for Jake Shimabukuro (who is pretty much the hottest thing going in uke). After that, the record companies came calling. And, in 2016, the Memphis Ukulele Band released their eponymous debut album. On November 16, they'll release their follow-up, a Christmas EP entitled "Holidays Ain't The Same".

I know you've heard a ton of Indie artists playing Indie Uke tunes. But this is Memphis, y'all. If you're going to make it as a ukulele band in Memphis, you'd better be bringing a little bit of Blues and some hot buttered Soul. And MUB do exactly that. Their sound is known as "Ukulele Soul"."Holidays Ain't The Same" includes covers of Carla Thomas and Charles Brown, as well as a pair of originals--"Merry Christmas Broken Hearts" and "Holidays Ain't The Same (Without You)". And, being a ukulele band, the EP also includes a near obligatory "Mele Kalikimaka". ​

I went through a New Age phase and a Smooth Jazz phase in my life. The same thing happened to both. When the genre became moderately popular, every yahoo who could halfway play an instrument jumped in and, before you knew it, there was more bad than good on the stations that featured it. It's kinda like if every dude who thinks he sounds good in the shower was suddenly added to the playlists for hit music and album rock stations (although I suppose some might argue that that, too, has happened).

But Nils is the real deal and I've been waiting to get some audio on this record to prove the point.

Nils Jiptner was born and raised in Germany. He began playing guitar in his teens, initially following the style of Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore. But he left Rock behind when he was turned on to Funk. He began listening to and emulating Nile Rogers, Al McKay and Paul Jackson Jr. That naturally led him to Fusion Jazz and he became a fan of artists like Larry Carlton and Jeff Lorber. Nils , now based in LA, has since established himself as one of the top hitmakers of the genre--as a songwriter, a producer, and as a performer. He's recorded with everyone from George Benson to The Temptations to Dave Koz. His 2005 hit "Pacific Coast Highway" was the Smooth Jazz Song (most played) of it's decade. His string of hits includes 2011's "Jump Start", which held down the #1 spot on Billboard's Smooth Jazz charts for 8 weeks and finished as the number one song of the year.

For "Christmas Everyday", Nils takes a fairly laid back approach and employs the services of several accomplished vocalists. It's almost a shame since he's so amazing when he's doing his Nils thing, as on "Straight Down The Line", one of his most recent hits. But even keeping things simple and sweet and sharing the spotlight with vocalists, Nils' guitar still sings. He's truly an artist. It's musicians like Nils that drew me to Smooth Jazz. That there are so many who aren't in his class is what (more or less) drove me away.

There are no pure instrumentals on "Christmas Everyday". The two songs where vocals are kept to a minor supporting role--"In A Holiday Mood" and "Jingle Bells"--are my favorites on the set. On "In A Holiday Mood", the vocals very effectively add to the warmth and nostalgia and the vocals on "Jingle Bells" are deep in the mix, barely noticeable, allowing Nils guitar to shine unadorned. But that's not to take anything away from the vocal soloists who provide a cozy soulful warmth of their own. Johnny Britt in particular is tremendous throughout. And Nils even takes on the singing role, himself, on the album's title and closing track, to very atmospheric and touching effect.

As a final verdict, "Christmas Everyday" well bridges the divide between the traditional and the modern and is eminently cuddle worthy. Share it next to the fireplace with someone you love this Christmas.

In case you were wondering (I know I was), a "selkie" is a mythological creature in Celtic lore...a kind of a mermaid creature. Derived from the Scottish "selkie fowk", which literally means "seal folk". A selkie was believed to live in the ocean as a seal, but was capable of shedding it's seal skin to exist on land as human (usually women or girls). There are many tales of selkie in Irish literature and song. A more contemporary view can be seen in the 1994 John Sayles' film "The Secret of Roan Inish" (about a family descendent from the selkie) and the 2010 film "Ondine". Now, with that burning question answered....

The Selkie Girls are an acclaimed Celtic band based in Texas. They formed in 2013 and have been a dominant presence on the Folk scene in the region and beyond. The band consists of Alli Johnson (vocals/guitar), Jaycie Skidmore (vocals/flutes/penny whistles), Dave Ervin (vocals/guitar/mandolin), Joel Black (upright and fretless acoustic bass), Martin McCall (percussion), and Linda Mudd (harp). They draw from both traditional Irish and Scottish songs as well as more contemporary music of the genre. They are particularly noted for their harmonies and their dynamic arrangements.

"Winter Lore" is the fourth album from The Selkie Girls and their first Christmas excursion. Celtic music has it's share of stars--from Enya to the Irish Rovers, from Celtic Woman to the Chieftans. I have to say, from a personal point of view, The Selkie Girls have their own sound which I really like. If I were making an entirely Celtic Christmas mixtape (which, much to my own surprise, I never have...yet), I'd definitely want a song or two from "Winter Lore" on there. Some of the better known songs, here--like "I Saw Three Ships"--I've never been particularly fond of; but I found the versions from The Selkie Girls very enjoyable. And, though I can't claim to have heard a lot of versions of the lullaby "Castle of Dromore" (I've heard a few), this version instantly became my favorite. Just sayin' (and your mileage may vary).

1. Winter Wonderland2. What Child Is This?3. Christmas Time Is Here4. God Rest You Merry Gentlemen5. Jingle Bells6. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?7. Away In A Manger8. Go Tell It On The Mountain9. The Christmas Song10. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm11. O Come All Ye Faithful12. I Wonder As I Wander13. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas14. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

Melinda DeRocker grew up in the deep South where her parents exposed her to Jazz, Blues, Big Band, Show Tunes, Country, Gospel and Bluegrass. She began singing in church choirs, spent some time in a Folk trio, and then took part in Musical Theater. She studied music, earning two degrees, did some more Musical Theater throughout the country, then spent time directing a 50-voice choir in Manhattan. Finally, in 2013, Melinda recorded her first record, an album of Jazz standards, "I'll Be Seeing You".

​For her Christmas album, "Christmas Time Is Here", Melinda took much the same approach. As appropriate, some songs are delivered as straight forward "Standards", though the band is given room to breathe. Personally, I like it when the songs are uptempo and everybody's swinging, as on "Go Tell It On The Mountain", "God Rest You Merry Gentlemen" and "Jingle Bells". A few of the songs from the album are available for 45 second previews here.

FWIW, and not to detract from Melinda, one name listed as being in Melinda's band on Facebook stood out for me--Nate Birkey, a fabulous trumpet player whose 2008 album "Christmas" is one of my very favorites of the season. I do not know whether he plays on this album or not.

At the moment, you can pre-order "Christmas Time Is Here" direct from Melinda DeRockerhere. It may turn up at CD Baby down the road. "Christmas Time Is Here" is set for release on November 1.

Ana Cristina, of Cuban descent, was raised in Florida. She began singing in competitions at the age of 6. She remembers that the first song she ever sang in front of an audience was"White Christmas". Being of Cuban heritage,Ana Cristinabegan her professional career in the Spanish language market. She signed with Sony's Latin division at the age of 15. That was in 2000. She marriedJohn Carter Cashin 2016 and the couple have been writing songs and making music together ever since.

Ana Cristina Cashis blessed with an extensive vocal range--spanning from alto to soprano. Her musical range is no less wide. In 2015, she released an album of Pop Soul, "The West Coast Sessions", for which she wrote every song. In 2017, "The Tough Love EP" featured Country and Rockabilly.

Listening to the previews for"My Christmas Collection", Ana's holiday set seems fairly traditional, with the slightest hint of Americana. The album does include a Spanish language track,"Noche de Paz"("Silent Night") as well as a duet with husbandJohn Carter Cashon"Baby It's Cold Outside". And there's one original,"Santa Claus Is Real", for which no preview is yet available. A few songs from"My Christmas Collection"have been previewed onAna Cristina Cash'sInstagram site. Hard copy CDs and limited edition LPs (pressed in either red or green vinyl) are available exclusively fromAna Cristina Cash(at the moment, through Bandcamp). Digital downloads of the album can be found at Bandcamp, Google Play and iTunes. "My Christmas Collection"officially drops October 26.

John Legend is one of only 15 people to have won the royal flush of entertainment awards--Grammy, Emmy, Oscar and Tony. He's actually won 10 Grammys, but who's counting. And 5 Soul Train Awards, 2 BET Awards, 2 Image Awards, 1 MTV Music Video Award, and 1 American Music Award. He's also earned the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Clearly, John Legend is living up to his last name.

Legend released his debut solo album, "Get Lifted", in 2004, but he was already a shining star having collaborated with such artists as will i am, Kanye West, and Lauryn Hill. His first four studio albums all reached the Top Five on the album charts, 3 of them topping the R&B charts. His biggest selling single, to date, was the 2013 #1 smash "All of Me", dedicated to wife Chrissy Teigen. The couple have two children, born in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

​Nothing makes you appreciate Christmas music more than having a child. But "A Legendary Christmas" is not Legend's first experience with the genre. He released a 6-song Christmas EP back in 2006, "Sounds of The Season: The John Legend Collection", a Target Exclusive at the time. In 2008, he sang "Nutmeg" on Stephen Colbert's holiday special. And, in 2011, Legend teamed up with Mariah Carey for "When Christmas Comes". "A Legendary Christmas" figures to leave all of his previous Christmas efforts in the dust (well, maybe not "Nutmeg"). Indeed, the early previews suggest "A Legendary Christmas" should even eclipse Mariah Carey's and Michael Buble's Christmas albums as the new standard of the season.

PREviews

I don't know about you, but I want to see that cover art and I want to see that track list before I make my Christmas music purchasing decisions. The earlier the better. That's what we try to do for you here. We'll also try to give you a little background on the artist(s), in case they're new to you.